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Boy with missing intestine: Heads will roll – Lagos Assembly *Dies, hours before foreign treatment
Those responsible for the hanky-panky surrounding Adebola Akin-Bright, whose intestines went missing in the process of surgery in hospital, would face the consequences of their actions, Lagos State government vowed on Tuesday.
The young boy, who later died on Tuesday evening at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), was said to have developed complications and was rushed to the intensive care unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where he was thereafter pronounced dead.
Noheem Adams, leading some members of the Lagos State House of Assembly earlier on had called on the state governor, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Ministry of Health to release funds for the overseas treatment of boy, hours before his death.
Adams, who said the Assembly, made a shocking discovery during its investigation to unravel the circumstances that led to the missing intestine of the 12-year-old, told reporters during the visit that the report of the committee would soon be made public.
Noting that anyone found culpable in the case of the missing intestine of Akin-Bright would be prosecuted in due course, he said: “We came to LASUTH on the directives of the speaker, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, to see the health status of Adebola Akin-Bright. We want to thank Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu because we heard that he has been calling to know the status of the boy, apart from providing money for his care.
“A committee was set up by the Assembly to investigate the incident and the mother alleged that the intestine was missing. We made some shocking discoveries in the course of our investigation, but we will not make these known until we complete investigations.
“We discovered some unusual things in the process, and we will make them public for the whole world to see when we complete our investigations. The incident is very unusual, but we want the boy to survive, and Mr. Speaker is very interested in his survival too. The Assembly wants the boy to have a brighter future as his name is Bright, and thanked the speaker of the House for showing interest in the boy’s health.
Expressing gratitude to Commissioner for Health Akin Abayomi, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, and Williams, the certified surgeon caring for the boy, he said the committee was actually informed about a slight improvement in the boy’s condition.
Abayomi, who thanked Obasa for setting up the committee, saying that they have had a series of interactions with the boy and are gathering the necessary information on the incident, said: “I want to also thank the CMD of the hospital because if not for their efforts the boy would not have survived till today, which is why we can still talk about him.
“We have a situation where he is stable, but he cannot absorb his food and that is why he is being fed with artificial food. He has a good team around him and he is doing well. I also want to thank the Governor for all the support he has been giving us so that we can do all that we can do as human beings and as professionals to save Akin-Bright, but there are limitations to what we can do.”
The surgeon in charge of the boy’s treatment, Professor Adetokunbo Fabanwo, told reporters that all hands were on deck to save him, stressing that as a tertiary hospital, they have a lot of experts, including pediatricians, who he said look after children, those that look after the heart, kidney, and others, adding that everybody is involved in Akin-Bright’s case.
He said: “As we speak, the boy’s condition is stable, though we are spending a lot of money to keep him alive. Mr. Governor has been very magnanimous in providing the funding. The Committee Chairman has told you that there are things to be done in definitive terms, but that would be discussed at a higher level.”
In her comment, Akin-Bright’s mother, Deborah Akin-Bright, expressed her appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. Obasa, and all the doctors treating the boy.
“Everything has changed since the visit of the Governor, and all hands have been on deck to ensure that Adebola survives. I am hopeful that he will survive. I want to thank the Governor and Speaker Obasa. I am so grateful that they rose to attend to Adebola’s case. I was losing hope initially, but now I want to thank them for their support,” she said.
In a quick riposte on Saturday, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has cautioned Nigerians to be circumspect in the manner they react to the story of the death of a female student in his home in Ebonyi State, warning against the temptation of jumping to conclusion.
Conveying his position on the highly-volatile matter through Francis Nwaze, his spokesman, Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and a key figure in the government of President Bola Tinubu, said caution was needed to enable the police conduct unfettered investigation into the matter.
It was his response to breaking of how one Mary Habila, a female physiotherapist reportedly died in his palatial home at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on June 27, hours after arriving the day before.
Nwaze, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, specifically cautioned against speculations by “tale bearers,” while conveying the Minister’s shock over the matter and his eagerness for the authorities to get at the root of the matter through forensic investigations.
He wrote in the statement: “The attention of the Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been drawn to a publication by a publication concerning the unfortunate passing of Miss Mary Habila in Uburu, Ebonyi State, alleging that the circumstances surrounding her death were shrouded in secrecy.
“The Honourable Minister received the news with profound shock and sadness and has since extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. For the avoidance of doubt, immediately the unfortunate incident occurred, appropriate emergency steps were taken. Medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police was promptly notified in accordance with the law.
“Following confirmation of Miss Habila’s passing, the Honourable Minister personally received her parents, conveyed his sincere condolences, and advised that an autopsy be conducted to scientifically establish the exact cause of death. At the time, however, the family declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila.
“Following the recent developments and in the interest of ensuring that the truth is established beyond doubt, the Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident.
“We therefore urge the public to exercise restraint, refrain from speculation or premature conclusions, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities without interference. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the deceased, and we pray that God grants them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
The circumstances that led to the sudden death of Mary Habbila, a Nigerian female student died in the Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, home of Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has now thrown the entire household and environs into serious quandary.
SaharaReporters, which first broke the revealed that the incident, which happened since June 27 this year, has been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
The incident, the report, added, took place barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence, triggering a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Habbila and Baski reportedly arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26 to “attend” to him, only for Habbila to be found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources were quoted by the paper as saying that Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
Subsequently, a doctor and an ambulance were dispatched to the residence, while Tobechukwu Godwin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, was notified of the incident, the report said, adding that at the hospital Chihurumnanya Alo, a Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.
The police who subsequently conveyed Habbila’s body to a mortuary, were said to have handed over the identification tag attached to Habbila’s to the Ebonyi State Police Command by the said DPO, as part of the ongoing investigation.
SaharaReporters, quoted a senior police officer, with knowledge of the case as saying: “The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abakaliki,” but, however declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Unlike in other cases, security operatives in Nigeria have upped the ante by adding the arrest of perpetrators to the menu of rescue operations, with the announcement of the capture of eight terrorists who participated in the abduction of school teachers and students in Oyo State on May 15.
All the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, regained their freedom on Friday, after about 56 days in captivity, with several others reportedly also neutralised during the operation.
Giving a clue of what transpired during the operation, Bayo Onanuga, who broke the story of the feat, said it was the outcome of sustained security operations, which also foiled the attempt by the abductors to secure the release of one of their captured leaders.
Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, using his X handle to give details about the operation, said: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies. In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.”
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, seizing dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, with parents, labour unions, traditional rulers and civil society groups mounting sustained pressure on the authorities to secure the victims’ release.
The incident also triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State over growing insecurity in schools.
President Bola Tinubu had condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations to rescue the captives and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The President subsequently dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities, approved the deployment of specialised rescue assets and authorised the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security across Oyo State.
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